Bringing satisfaction to Boulder County and beyond

Sometimes you just crave certain things piled high between two slices of bread. The right cut of ham. Delicately sliced pastrami. Or maybe an inventive mix of meat, cheese, mayo, or other spreads.

When we feel that way, there are four area delis that we’re not going to pass up. Most of them are in Boulder County, but one of them is a location in Denver that’s led us to detour multiple times off I-25 just to enjoy whatever they were serving on rye, sourdough, or a soft roll. These eateries remind us not just of how creative and satisfying sandwiches can be, but of the beloved busy delis and caterers on the East Coast, drawing crowds for a quick meal.

Kenny Lou’s Deli and Sushi at Button Rock Bakery in Lafayette

If there’s one spot that reminds me of East Coast Jewish delis, this would be it. Matzo ball soup? Check. Celery Soda? It’s there. Smoked meats? Absolutely. But what’s also apparent is the love that Kenny Lou’s Deli puts into his menu items. Chef John Bauer was inspired by his Jewish and Italian roots to create items that range from Italian sandwiches and chicken parm to fried bologna. Just because they’re wide-ranging doesn’t mean that they compromise on quality. We’ve toured their back kitchen and can vouch for the fact that this restaurant is organized. They’ve got their process down, and it shows in how they make so much food taste so good.

Snarf’s Sandwiches throughout the Front Range

Snarf’s, a locally founded deli chain, isn’t afraid to put anything between two slices of bread. They even responded to our request to create the perfect Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, which was arguably even better than the holiday meal itself. On their regular menu, they have specialty sandwiches such as their French Dip, Artichoke and Feta, and Prime Rib and Provolone on fresh-baked bread plus toppings including their own cured giardiniera peppers. The staff at the Gunbarrel location were attentive, engaging and fun, making our lunch experience joke-filled and tastebud satisfying.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

Great Harvest Bread Company in Boulder

Samples fresh from the oven. Gooey, rich cinnamon rolls and other baked goods that bring smells that stick with me the rest of the day. That’s just part of what I appreciate about Great Harvest Bread Company. I also love the sandwiches, thick slices of bread that hold even thicker amounts of meats, almost too much to get your mouth around. Specialty chips and counter service that’s efficient (as a deli should be) but also smiling and personable. That’s what we find each time we go to Great Harvest Bread Company. We miss the outpost that used to be in Longmont (The location is now a P.F. Chang’s To Go.) but every chance we get, we stop into the Boulder location atArapahoe Ave. and Folsom St. and are grateful.

Leven Deli Company in Denver

We’re honestly never sure why, but this restaurant reminds us of the diner in Tick, Tick… Boom!, the Andrew Garfield musical about the creator of Stomp. Leven Deli is an easy stop off for anyone looking to spend an afternoon in the Denver Art Museum. Their bursting sandwiches are fresh and satisfying and a lot of people head there for brunch. Their soups are what I love, however. Most diners can’t pass up their mushroom soup, but I love the New England clam chowder because it’s light on the fatty creaminess but still really satisfying. They’ve also got a small, carefully curated wine menu and fresh cocktails. Whatever you order, if the weather is right, don’t miss the chance to eat outside and people watch the museum crowd. It’s a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

The post Local Deli-cacies | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

We caught up with John Bauer, the executive chef behind Kenny Lou’s Deli and Sushi in Lafayette, at the end of a long day. Although he said he got in later that morning than usual, he admitted that typically he’s on premise as early as 5:30 am.

Sushi. Photo: Deborah Cameron

At work, Bauer is steadily busy as he supports not just the deli and sushi, but Button Rock Bakery. He looked tired and energized at the same time, like someone who knows they’re doing what they loved. He seemed to easily accept that he didn’t get a rest after a hectic Thanksgiving week, and wasn’t expecting anything more anytime soon. At this time of year, his immediate future was full of items for Hanukkah meals and Christmas celebrations.

I come from New Jersey, where Chicken Parm was enjoyed at least weekly; taylor egg, ham and cheese was a breakfast go-to; and bagels and deli items were something you could get at the corner shop down the street. In fact, I even spent time serving three-inch tall sandwiches from a small deli on a corner of my home town. For me, walking into Kenny Lou’s was like going home.

I was most interested in learning about the Jewish and Italian food at Kenny Lou’s. Bauer allowed me to sample potato latkes garnished with chutney and sour cream, as well as one of the most delicious versions of matzoh ball soup I’ve had in a while. With these kinds of items on the menu, it’s not surprising that at Yom Kippur this year, and for other Jewish Holidays in years past, Kenny Lou’s was flooded with orders.

Originally from Pittsburgh but having spent significant time in Chicago, Bauer’s first Colorado experience was taking a train to Glenwood Springs in 1989 for a photography internship. He extended the experience in Breckenridge where he also did black and white fine art  photography. While he was there, he cooked and when he moved to Boulder, he experienced a Boulder that existed a generation before all of the shops and restaurants people know of today.

As one of his jobs, Bauer manned the grill Aristocrat Diner on the corner of Broadway and Spruce. “I cooked on a flat top griddle that reached from here to there,” said Bauer, spreading his arms as wide across his chest as he could and pointing across our table.

As follow up work, he took on a couple of other jobs including one at Pour La France where Pasta Jay’s is now. Anthony Hessel, who headed up Pour La France and later served as Executive Chef at The Med, hired him as a line cook and they became friends. Bauer met his wife in Nederland and cooked in South Carolina before coming back to Colorado to cook for rock stars such as Elton John at Red Rocks.

With all of his experience and his lengthy Boulder resume, one of his passions is connecting with people through the Jewish and Italian food he gets to make at Kenny Lou’s. He comes from an Italian family, and his wife has a Jewish background. He appreciates how food in both of those cultures isn’t just something you put on a plate but an event.

Matzoh ball soup and celery soda. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Beyond that, Bauer also loves Deli culture. “I want to keep real corned beef alive. Real chopped liver alive. Real tongue alive. I want to offer  sandwiches, latkes.” He elaborated further, saying that one of the biggest sellers is the veggie burrito made with latkes. “And the Matzoh Ball Soup, I can’t keep it in stock. I’m making 40 quarts in back right now.”

Bauer made a point to share that one of his favorite things was preserving this culture, especially for people like me who knew about it at one point in their lives. He then referenced a move, Deli Man that is currently playing on Disney+:

“If you watch it, Deli Man is how I feel. I want to keep this tradition going. The old school delis in Chicago, I learned a lot about what I like to eat in Chicago. You go in and you see a lot of baked goods, the challah. That’s what I like. That’s what I’m proud to serve.”

The post Off Menu with… John Bauer of Kenny Lou’s Deli and Sushi inside Button Rock Bakery appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.